We’ll begin by asking you questions about the issue you’re experiencing. Next, we’ll take you through a series of troubleshooting steps that are specific to your situation.

1

Do you see an error message?

Yes

No

0

Do you see an error message?

Yes

No

0

Do you see a message "We can't sign in to your account" or an action center notification saying "You've been signed in with a temporary profile"?

Yes

No

0

Which sign in method are you using?

I don't know

PIN

Password

Microsoft account

0

Great!

We're glad this guide helped you sign in to Windows 10.

0

Get help from Microsoft support

We're sorry this guide wasn't able to help you sign in to Windows 10. Please contact us for further assistance.

0

Disable your antivirus software

Try temporarily disabling your antivirus software or any other app that might scan your device during sign-in. (Note: Some antivirus products may have additional components which affect the system and may only be disabled after complete removal and system reboot.)

Are you able to sign in?

Yes

No

0

Disable Windows Security

If you continue to experience issues logging in with your original profile, disable Windows Defender services: Open the Services app by typing services in the search bar and selecting it from the list of results. Then, find the Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection and Microsoft Defender Antivirus services, right-click each of them, select Properties, and change Startup Type to Disabled, selecting OK after each change. Restart your device in normal mode and attempt to sign in with your original profile. (Note: After troubleshooting and resolving the issue, remember to set the Windows Defender services back to Automatic.)

Are you able to sign in?

Yes

No

0

Create a local administrator account

Try creating a new local administrator account, log in to that new account, then follow the steps in Fix a corrupted user profile to copy your personal data from the old profile into the newly created one.

Are you able to sign in?

Yes

No

0

Things to try first

If you're having problems signing in to a Windows 10 computer, try this first: Enter your password with the onscreen keyboard. Find it by pressing the Ease of Access on the lock screen.

Are you able to sign in?

Yes

No

0

Signing in with a PIN

If you're having trouble with your PIN, resetting it might help.

Are you signed in?

Yes

No

0

I'm signed in with a PIN

If you see I forgot my PIN below the PIN text box, select it and follow the instructions. If there are multiple accounts on the device, choose the one you need to reset and follow the instructions. This will take you to Enter your password.

Then, select Start >Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options. Note: If you've just updated your computer to Windows 10, select Start > Settings > Network and Internet. Make sure you're connected to the internet. If you aren't, connect and then try signing in with your PIN again as shown in step one.

Select I forgot my PIN and then follow the instructions.

Are you able to sign in?

Yes

No

0

I'm not signed in with a PIN

If you don't see I forgot my PIN, select Sign-in options and choose Enter your password and sign in.

Then, select Start > Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options. Note: If you've just updated your computer to Windows 10, select Start > Settings > Network and Internet. Make sure you're connected to the internet. If you aren't, connect and then try signing in with your PIN again as shown in step one.

Select I forgot my PIN and then follow the instructions.

Are you able to sign in?

Yes

No

0

Match the sign in icons with the options you see

From the sign-in screen, select Sign-in options. Then, match the icon below to the sign-in options.

Which option do you see?

Microsoft account

PIN

Password

0

The PIN is different

The PIN you use to access your device is different from your Microsoft account password and from your local password. If you need to reset your Microsoft account password, go to account.microsoft.com, select Sign in and follow the instructions. Next, select More actions > Change password.

Troubleshoot issues with your Microsoft account

Local account

If you added security questions when you set up your local account for Windows 10, then you have at least version 1803 and you can answer security questions to sign back in.

After you've entered an incorrect password:

Select the Reset password link on the sign-in screen. If you use a PIN instead, see PIN sign-in issues. If you're using a work device that's on a network, you may not see an option to reset your password or PIN. In that case, contact your administrator.

Answer your security questions.

Enter a new password.

Sign in as usual with the new password.

Reset local account password for Windows 10, before version 1803

For versions of Windows 10 earlier than 1803, local account passwords can't be reset because there are no security questions. You can reset your device to choose a new password, however this option will permanently delete your data, programs, and settings. If you've backed up your files you'll be able to restore your deleted files. For more information, see Recovery options in Windows 10.

To reset your device, which will delete data, programs, and settings:

Press the Shift key while you select the Power button > Restart in the lower-right corner of the screen.

On the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Reset this PC.

Select Remove everything.

0

Select the applicable error message

"The password is incorrect. Make sure you’re using the password for your Microsoft account.”

“You’ve entered an incorrect password too many times.”

“Your account has been temporarily suspended. Someone may have used your account <accountname> to send out a lot of junk messages or done something else that violates the Microsoft Services Agreement.”